Cambridge firefighter proves strength at national FireFit competition

Cambridge Firefighter Kelly Campbell competed at the FireFit National Championship in New Brunswick in this undated image. (Courtesy: Jeffery W. Jones)

FireFit is known as the “toughest two minutes in sports”- an intense obstacle course that tests the physical limits of firefighters across Canada.

For Kelly Campbell, a firefighter with the Cambridge Fire Department, competing at the FireFit National Championships in New Brunswick was a testament to months of physical preparation.

The competition mimics the real-world demands faced on the fireground, starting with a stair climb while carrying a hose pack, followed by a rope pull, a sledgehammer force machine, and a 100-foot dummy drag at the finish line.

“The hardest part is probably the dummy drag,” Campbell said. “Your legs are completely shot by that point. And then you got to pick up 165 pounds dummy and drag it 100 feet.”

Out of approximately 200 competitors, Campbell placed sixth overall in the female division. She competed in the tech two split course alongside a firefighter from Brantford, Ont. The duo won their division, finishing just one second off the world record. She also secured a second-place finish in a hybrid relay course.

Now in her fifth year of competition, Campbell said the rigorous training translates to her work on the front lines.

“So you just get stronger and faster and you’re more capable at the end of the day,” she said.

That physical resilience is critical during emergency calls.

“Is very similar to that feeling of being completely gassed, but still have to finish your job,” Campbell said. “That’s what we experience on the fireground every time we go to a big fire.”

Out of a department of about 150 firefighters, Campbell is currently the only representative from Cambridge competing at the national level. She noted that newcomers often underestimate the difficulty of the course until they attempt it themselves.

“Most of the guys are, when they first get there, if they’re brand new to it, they think it’s super easy and that they could totally do it. Beat the girls’ time,” she said. “But a lot of times the girls who’ve been there for a while or are still beating the men.”

With nationals taking place each September, Campbell is already looking ahead to next year’s competition. She said training for that will start in March.